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THE Qatar Electricity and Water Company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Japan's Xenesys Inc. for carrying out a feasibility study on the enhancement of water production and power generation in Qatar through Ocean Thermal Energy Desalination Technology. The documents to this effect were exchanged between QEWC general manager Fahd Mohannadi and senior managing director of Xenesys Sadayuki Jitsuhara.
Deputy premier and minister of energy and industry HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah and Japanese ambassador designate Yukio Kitazume were also present on the occasion.
The study, which is to be completed by January 31, 2008, is entrusted by Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) and commissioned by the Ministry of Economy.
The objective of the study is to highlight the potential of enhancement of water production and improvement of environmental effects of the existing power plants in the country. It is achieved by utilizing the waste heat in discharged seawater without increasing the fuel consumption.
Xenesys have successfully implemented a similar installation in an industrial facility in Japan.
The study will cover technical, economical and environmental aspects.
Speaking to Gulf Times, Director General Manager of Overseas Business Division Akira Suzuki said the company possessed experience and expertise in converting waste heat for the production of electricity, without affecting the environment.
The ocean thermal energy desalination technology was widely applied for the desalination of water as well, said Suzuki. "There is absolutely no fear for causing environmental destruction of any kind," he said.
Suzuki said the company was carrying out its operations successfully in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait for more than three years and was familiar with the work environments of most GCC states. "It would help us complete the study in the scheduled period itself," he said.
The official said its decision to carry out a feasibility study on the issue in Qatar was based on the huge rise in the demand for water and electricity in the country in the face of its growing industrialization.
At the ceremony, QEWC general manager Fahd Mohannadi said his company is a forerunner among firms involved in the field of power generation and water desalination in the Gulf states.
"With the latest signing, we confirm our commitment to meet the rapidly increasing demand of power and water in Qatar, which is having one of the fastest growing economies in the world," he said. The general manager also reaffirmed QEWC's dedication to implement new technologies to protect the environment and improve technological efficiency.
He said Qatar had benefited considerably from the Japanese expertise in the generation of water on many occasions and expressed the hope that their latest study would bring good results.
Jetro official Toshihiro Mizutani and Xenesys manager of technical department Shin Okamura were also present at the signing ceremony.

Qatar stands to benefit from MoU: al-Attiyah
DEPUTY Prime Minister and Minister for Energy and Industry HE Abdullah bin Hamed al-Attiyah has said that the feasibility study to be conducted by Japanese firm Xenesys Inc on ocean energy desalination technology would help Qatar's power and water sectors benefit considerably.
Al-Attiyah said this while talking to journalists after the signing of the MoU between the Japanese company and Xenesys.
When asked about his expectations on the forthcoming Opec conference in Abu Dhabi, al-Attiyah said it was too early to comment on the conference. "I would rather wait for the conference to make some appropriate decisions," he said.
To another question, the energy minister said the prevailing oil prices had nothing to do with the supply and demand scenario but is connected to a combination of a number of factors.
The minister added that whenever the dollar weakened, the oil prices had gone up and naturally, there could be a lot of speculation revolving around the whole issue.
Al-Attiyah reiterated that there is absolutely no shortage in the oil market as claimed by some quarters.
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Doha ・Qatar Electricity and Water Company (QEWC) is set to increase water production capacity of its existing plants, introducing new technologies to make them more environmentally friendly.
QEWC yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Xenesys Inc of Japan to conduct a feasibility study on improving the efficiency of QEWC operated water desalination plants. The company expects to increase water production capacity of Ras Abu Fontas desalination plants, site of the study by between 5 per cent and 10 per cent using Xenesys developed technologies.
The study slated for completion by end of January 2008 also involves the prospects for improving environmental effects of the desalination plants using Ocean Thermal Energy Desalination Technology (OTED).
Thanks to the technology seawater discharged from the existing Multi-stage Flash Distillation (MSF) plants is desalinated by utilizing temperature difference between the discharged seawater and intake seawater without the need for increasing fuel consumption.
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) is the holder of the study which has been commissioned by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan (METI) for the benefit of QEWC.
Fahad Al Mohannadi, General Manager of QEWC said the system would contribute in meeting growing demand for water in the country, saving in fuel consumption and in reducing carbon dioxide emission (CO2).
He said that Qatar's current water production capacity stands at 170m gallons per day which is expected to reach 350m gallons of water per day by 2012 with the development of new stations now under way.
"The challenge that we are facing is that water demand is very high at eight to nine per cent per year and that has to be managed," he said.
"However, Qatar has made great strides in developing water projects to meet the growing demand."
He also said that the study is intended particularly to look into the possibility of introducing environmentally friendly technologies, besides increasing the capacity of existing facilities and saving energy to maximize the benefits from natural resources.
Referring to the power sector, Al Mohannadi said that a 600MW power plant is currently under commissioning and a 2,000 MW plant in Mesaieed is under construction with phase I to be completed before the coming summer and phase II expected to be completed by summer 2009.
He added that QEWC is at present tendering and evaluating the financial bids for Ras Laffan III, a major plant with 2,600 MW power capacity and 55 million gallons of water which is expected to be operational by 2010.
Qatar's power demand is increasing at the rate of over 12 per cent per year, but QEWC said it is committed to meeting this growing demand.
The country's current production capacity is in excess of 4,000MW and with power plants currently under construction this will be increased to 6,500MW when the plants are commissioned in the next two years and eventually reach 8,000 MW by 2012.
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